Mass Effect Reserection
by gothik
Summary: Two and a half years after Shepards apparent death, Cerberus bring her back...but she has changed and she has a whole lot of anger waiting to be released.
1. Chapter 1

Resection

" _Go Long!" Simon yelled and then threw the football,_

 _Cassandra jumped up and caught it, then laughed as her twin felled her. It was so peaceful here, she had been reunited with her brother and her father, although she had been concerned for her mother, but this...this was ultimate peace._

 _She wished she could have told Ashley about it, that there was an afterlife but, it was nothing like they had been ever been taught. She had seen other souls here, free of the burdens of their lives, soldiers who had died at the Citadel, reunited with their loved ones, or waiting for their loved ones. Time had no meaning here._

 _There was no war, no violence, just a place of harmony._

" _You wont be staying here Cass" Simon suddenly said, taking the ball from her and tossing it towards a group of marines, to look at him, you wouldn't believe that he had been mauled by a Thresher Maw._

" _What? What are you on about?" Cassie scowled "Where else am I supposed to go?"_

" _You're going back"_

" _Am I hell" She playfully punched his shoulder "You're just winding me up Simon Shepard"_

 _Her father waved and joined them "I will always love you Cassie" He said and kissed her cheek. "I will always be with you, always"_

" _Dad, you been sniffing the oxygen again?"_

 _She looked at her hands as they started to fade._

" _Goodbye my little hellion" he sadly said._

" _Dad? Simon..."_

" _Take care sis, be the best that you can be"_

 _Cassie began to struggle, she didn't want to leave this place, she had done enough, she had done all that was asked of her and now...why did she feel so...faint...She lay back and felt her fathers hand in hers._

" _Its time Hellion..." he whispered and kissed her forehead..._

" **Shepard your scars haven't healed but I need you to get off that bed now"**

Cassie almost fell off the bed, her mind fogged and disorientated, she felt like she had been torn from one place to another. She pulled herself up and found a pistol, where the woman said it would be. No ammo though, the sound of explosions and screams echoed around her.

She stopped for a moment to clear her head. She ached, her mind was fogged, one moment she was with her father and her brother and the next...where was she exactly? There was no death where she had been, someone had ripped her from the only true peace she had known in her life, since she was a child.

She gritted her teeth and did as she was guided, she didn't want to think ordered, but guided seemed to be a better word for it. There were answers and by the gods of war she would have them.

She sat in the shuttle waiting to take her to the Cerberus base. She was quiet but deep inside she was seething. She had been taken and brought back to life, rebuilt by the same people who had murdered her brother and his unit, not to mention Admiral Khohuku. The same people that thought making Rachni warriors and Thorian soldiers was a good thing, and the same people who had left her and her unit subject to a Thresher Maw attack, just for the sheer joy of watching how the Maws Acid worked.

Her memories had been coming back quicker than she hoped they would. It was taking all of her immense willpower to keep her temper in check, how dare they? How dare they take what was left of her body and rebuild her.

She not only felt indignation but violated on every level that was humanly possible. She had made her way through the station. Eventually the woman who was now sitting across from her had shut up, she had met up with Jacob Taylor, the man now sitting across from her and next to Miranda, when he had told her that it was Cerberus they worked for she had put him on his arse and almost pounded him to smitheries. It was only the fact he did not resist that stopped her, even now he showed the results of her assault, but she made no apologies for it.

And he asked for none.

"I need to check your memories Commander" Miranda spoke and even though Jacob protested that this was neither the time nor the place, she got her own way "You were raised on numerous space stations and ships as a child, your father died during the reclaiming of Shansxi and you along with Corporal Andreas Toombs were the soul survivors of a Thresher Maw attack"

"Yeah, a Cerberus experiment as I was later to discover, I got away alive...poor Andreas was...tortured"

"That had nothing to do with us Commander I assure you"

"Of course not Lawson" Cass sarcastically said "It was a rogue unit, I did not fall off the last Banana boat. I know how black ops work"

"On Virmire, you had to make a decision about your team, for the good of the mission"

"Alenko decided to act on his own, I was not about to let his actions jeopardise the fact that Saren had a genetically created hoard of unstable Krogan. I sent my team to help Williams and I went back for Alenko, where he is now I couldn't say, I removed him from my ship"

"Gunnery Chief Williams is now Chief Williams, and Lieutenant Alenko is now Commander Alenko although where they both are we cannot say." Miranda explained. Cassie thought her heart might skip a beat at the mention of Ashley's name, but all she felt was a sense of relief that the Williams curse might already be broken. She hoped so, Ash deserved better.

As for Alenko, well she still simmered at his apparent lack of respect for the mission and his team-mates. Although a part of her did wonder if he was doing something more suited, to his talents.

"No one was questioning those actions Commander, we all knew that the base had to be destroyed. Cerberus was happy that our first human Spectre did what she had to do"

"Sure Taylor" She quipped "Cerberus would have killed all the personnel and then taken the base for themselves to discover what they might be able to use" Taylor went to protest but she rose her hand to stall it "Anything else?"

"When Sovereign and the Geth attacked the Citadel, it was your decision that ultimately made humanity heroes" Miranda looked at her.

"if I had left the council to die, we would have been vilified and those that say Humans are out for themselves would have been justified. The council needs to keep galactic stability and I chose Anderson to be our representative, I found Udina ready to do whatever ass licking he needed to do to be on top. I would have preferred someone else as I know David Anderson, but I was not about to put Udina in charge and that was that"

"Yes Captain Anderson is now Councillor Anderson, although he is not completely happy with the way things are" Miranda sighed.

"I am not surprised" Cass reluctantly agreed.

"Come on Miri, no more questions huh? The Commanders memories are all there and I saw her in action myself." He rubbed his jaw "and if anything she's stronger than ever"

"Fair enough, just have to see if the Illusive Man is satisfied"

"He will be and Commander it will be an honour to work with you"

Shepard didn't say anything, she turned her attention to the window and watched the stars zip by, she was not the same, she never would be the same again, and when she found out the truth, and not Cerberus's truth either, then she might start feeling herself again.


	2. Freedoms Progress and old friends

2.

The Illusive Man was, at least honest about what he was and what he wanted, she had to give him that. He now sat across from her, his holographic image puffing on a cigarette. He was so self assured, she would say arrogant but it was the sort of arrogance that came with knowing that he was right.

She could understand that, there were those that could have said the same about her, Alenko sprang to mind, She was about to tell him to go forth and multiply when he told her about the colonies vanishing and the fact that the council were doing nothing, (no surprise there), but what annoyed her the most was that the Alliance were also ignoring the threat.

"How many colonies?" She finally asked.

He looked at her, those weird cybernetic eyes seemingly measuring her, seeing if she was indeed the same Commander Cassandra Shepard, hero of the Citadel and the First Human Spectre, and not some vat grown knock off.

He took a long swallow of his bourbon and then a long drag on his cigarette, it was a while before he answered.

"Enough to warrant the term harvesting. Tens of Thousands of people have been taken over the last two years, some colonies so obscure that they have simply ceased to exist."

"You are sure its the Reapers?" Cass frowned a little "They want an end to all organic life, this...doesn't make sense"

"Like I said, tens of thousands of humans have vanished and I warrant that as harvesting, it started after the destruction of the Normandy"

Cassie nodded her head a little, that did sound coincidental. She raised her gaze to meet his once more "OK anything else?"

"I want you to head to Freedoms Progress, it was the latest colony to be attacked and we intercepted the call before anyone else. I need anything that you can find there before scavengers get there and pick the place clean."

"And you aren't informing the Alliance?"

"Not yet, I will Shepard but for the moment I want you on site, with Lawson and Taylor, before anyone else gets wind of it and like I said, the Alliance are not the quickest to react to the situation"

"You expect me to work with those two?" Cassie glared "I am sure they are very good at what they do and I am not...ungrateful that Dr Lawson brought me back, but they work for you and I don't trust you" 

Napier nodded to himself a little and sat back in his seat "If this turns out to be nothing then you can go your own way, no strings. Lawson brought you back to life when no one else could be bothered to find you and Taylor and I...well we have our differences but he is honest about it as are you." He sat forward and clasped his hands together "I served with your father during Shansxi he was a good man and your brother was a hell of a marine, I dealt with those that lured your brother and his squad to their deaths. I know you will never trust Cerberus, I just need you to at least give us a chance to prove to you that the Reapers are coming"

"If, I find something I will consider it, if I don't I am going home"

"That's all I can ask, I brought you back now you just have to do what you do best."

Before she could answer he closed the connection and the holographic interface disbanded. With a heavy sigh Cassie turned on her heel and walked out the door.

Freedoms Progress, Shepard had never heard of it, but that was not surprising really, there were many Human Colonies out here, some small, some large and some that just escaped notice, this was after all the Traverse and the people who lived and worked out here. It was hard to keep track of every colony, even though that was wrong.

What struck her most was the silence.

That was more deafening then any voice, and the noise of the shuttle as it landed. It was as if someone just raised a hand and waved them out of existence. Families all missing and as they made their way through the first part of the Colony it was as if no one lived here at all.

Taylor had remarked that everyone had looked to be settling down for dinner. Whatever had done this had been very, very thorough and methodical. She raised her Pistol and swept each room with Taylor and Lawson covering her back, it was creepy and it made her skin crawl, like she was walking through a ghost ship.

They came into a small avenue of homes, making their way through, they were confronted by a trio of Quarians, one of whom raised a shotgun at the three humans.

"Fuck off Cerberus!" he spoke, his accented voice sounding metallic.

Cassie recalled saying how the Geth and Quarians in their environ-suits looked alike, she shook the thought from her head as Jacob told everyone to calm down. Suddenly a familiar voice spoke up from behind.

"Prazza put it down now and...and..." The Quarian woman stopped and cocked her head "Cassie?"

Cass swallowed heavily and lowered her pistol, then holstered it "Hey Tali...did that info I give you help you on your Pilgrimage"

Tali Zorah Na'Rya nodded and jumped into her friends arms "Keelah I thought you were dead"

"I was Tali, don't ask me how but I am back. So, what are you doing here?"

"We came looking for a friend" Tali steered Cassie to one side "Veetor was always a nervous sort, not good with lots of people around him"

"So he came here for his Pilgrimage?" Cassie rubbed her jaw.

"My suits locator has found him but its reading erratic readings, it leads me to believe that he is injured, a suit rupture maybe, he will be delirious, frightened..if he saw what happened here..." She let her voice trail off.

"What do you think happened here Tali?" She asked, perching against a desk, happy and relieved that she could finally talk to someone she had a bond with, trust, and Tali was like the little sister her and Simon had hoped for.

"I don't know Cassie, when Veetor wrote to me, he would say what a small vibrant community, friendly, they welcomed him knowing that as a Quarian, his expertise with Electronics, mechanics anything like that was second to none." Tali smiled sadly and Cassie could believe that she could see it "He had become close to a young human girl, about his age. He would write me about her and I think he was in love." Tali hugged herself "Now its a ghost town, like no one has ever been here, reminds me of what you said about Eden Prime after Saren decimated it."

"Not quite but I can see the connection" She was silent for a moment "We'll help you find Veetor, he may be able to tell me what happened here. Have you seen anyone else?"

Tali nodded a little "I saw Liara about a year ago, she took your passing harder than the rest of us I think. I saw Ashley five months ago. She stopped at an outpost I was staying at and we had a catch up, I haven't seen the others." Tali shifted a little "Ashley got married a few months back, to a Private in her company."

"Good for her," Cassie nodded and kept her features poker straight, although deep inside a knife twisted. "She deserves someone who can give her what she deserves"

"We are not working for them!" Prazza came over, having heard the last part of the conversation. "Tali you cannot be serious!"

"Did I miss something?" Cassie wanted to know.

"Cerberus attacked the Flotilla, almost destroyed one of our ships and killed several dozen of our people."

"Not how I would have put it" Miranda sauntered over "exactly..."

"I don't care at the moment" Cassie raised her hands but her glare was enough to stop Miranda from going any further. "Right now we need to work together."

"Yes, Cassie, i'll take my team and work round see if we can't find Veetor,"

"Ok, Tali use the old channel"

"Wait you are not serious...working for Cerberus now?" Prazza sneered.

"No Prazza you work for me, if you can't follow my orders than go wait on the ship" Tali held her friends hand "See you on the other side."

Cassie nodded and watched her friend leave "So...behave yourselves and lets see what we can find."


	3. Veetor

3.

As they made their way through to the main residential block, the sound of drones made them look up, six of them flew over head and Tali's voice came over the comms warning them. Jacob thanked her and the three of them took up positions as the drones began launching rockets at them.

"That confirms it" Miranda irritably said and threw a warp field at the drones. "This Veetor has sent drones against us"

"Do you know anything about the people your organisation tried to kill?" Shepard irritably spoke as she loosened off a carnage round from her shotgun "Let me enlighten you" She growled before Miranda could answer "The Quarians, since their flight from their home worlds and their home system have had to live in sterile environments, since their immune systems are not as strong as other species" She pulled Jacob down and pointed to the furthest drone, he nodded and unleashed a lift which Shepard then took down with three precision shots from her rifle. "They live in their suits as the slightest bit of stray bacteria could be lethal to them. A suit rupture if not tended too properly, or if their CO2 scrubbers have failed could leave them with a fever, delirious and unaware of what is going on around them.

The lad will be scared and will be ill, he is only defending himself, now," She watched as Miranda despatched the last of the drones "he is not to be vilified or hung up as an enemy to Humanity, he is a young man who is scared to death by what he may have witnessed." She slung her shotgun in the side holster "Remember that before you go jumping to conclusions. You may work for Cerberus, but I don't and I do not hold their views or their affirmations. Whilst you work with me, you will respect that, am I clear?"

"Clear, Commander" Miranda said through gritted teeth.

Jacob gave his friend a sideways glance. Two strong willed women, two women strong in their convictions and their beliefs. Yeah this was not going to be easy at all.

Tali told them to take positions whilst she opened the main compound gates, they heard the sound of gunfire and shouts of alarms echoing in the air. "Tali?" Shepard demanded "Tali what is going on?" 

"Prazza and his team, they didn't want you to get to Veetor. Its not you they are concerned about Shepard, its your companions"

Shepard glared at the doors, as if they would magically open just by her looking at them, it didn't help with Miranda muttering a "Told you so" not so quietly under her breath. She pointed to the left of the doors which Jacob took position at and the right with Miranda taking position.

As Tali opened the doors, the sound of a Mech could be heard firing, repeating its orders and the sound of bone cracking under its weight. The Quarians whilst trying to escape, did not stand a chance. It rockets flew through the air hitting everything it touched and any Quarian who escaped the blast soon died of their own injuries, their bodies having trouble trying to fight their multiple injuries and suit ruptures.

Cassie couldn't see Tali but had more confidence that her plucky young friend was out of the firing line, although seeing her people die before her was not going to be a pleasant experience. Shepard readied her shotgun, Warp ammo loaded and ready.

"Lawson, I want you warping those shields, you can take a break when we take this Sonofabitch down" She ordered.

"Yes Commander."

"Taylor, you hit it with singularity, and don't give me any excuse about it being too big, I've seen a single lone Asari take down a Geth Colossus and a Juggernaut in the same hit, and she was half the size of you"

"That is going to fry my amp Commander"

"I don't care if it fries your balls, if you don't hit it with that we are dead!" She snapped "and Lawson is going to need a few seconds to recharge"

"Yes ma'am" Taylor gritted his teeth and stepped out from his cover, as Miranda tossed a warp field, he threw his singularity and it caused one hell of an explosion, whittling down the shields of the Mech. She fired Warp ammo aiding Miranda and Jacob, switching to inferno clips once its shields had come down.

Diving to her right Cassie pulled Miranda to the ground as her cover was blown away but the Mechs powerful ammunition. Taylor threw another Singularity, Miranda threw a Warp field and Cassie fired an Inferno round, all three ducked as the resulting biotic explosion fried all its circuits, Shepards shotgun blast reduced it to a smouldering ruin. Taylor yelped as metal scratched across his arm.

"Suck it up Corsair" Cassie got to her feet and pulled Miranda up with her "It's a scratch, nothing more"

"That's gonna scar" Jacob muttered irritably.

"Welcome to my world" Cassie retorted and holstering her shotgun crossed to where the Quarian bodies lay. Some were at an awkward angle, she hoped they died quickly, a couple had bled out from numerous ruptures in their suits and Prazza...well there was nothing left of him, his body had been pulverised so badly that she doubted his family would recognise him. The poor woman that had been trod on and had her brains blown out was nothing more than a smear stain.

The smell of blood, shit and piss hit her nostrils and she stepped back a little. The one consolation they had, was that they would see their home worlds skies again, even if it was the afterlife. She had seen it, she had seen the peace that the dead would be granted.

Theirs would not be stolen from them, like it was her.

She shook her head of such thoughts, she removed her pistol and raising it made her way to the security building, the two Cerberus agents behind her.

Going inside they heard the disjointed mutterings of a fevered mind. He kept muttering the same thing over and over again, monsters, people, swarms and how the swarms didn't see him. Unable to get his attention Shepard waved her omni-tool and turned the screens off. This time catching his attention.

She raised her hands to show she meant him no harm and bid him to sit down, she took a seat across from him and was silent for a moment, measuring her thoughts before she spoke. "Hello Veetor, my name is Cassandra, do you know what happened to the people that lived here, worked here with you?"

Veetor wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or if it was the monsters again, he drew his gun, but Shepard put her hand on the barrel and lowered it, his trembling gave away the fact he was terrified, and the last thing she wanted to do was scare him even more. Miranda and Jacob lowered their guns.

"We arrived an hour ago Veetor, we were not part of this, please, we want to help you"

Veetor swallowed heavily, his skin was clammy as his body desperately tried to stave off the infection he had picked up, parts of his suit was going into overdrive, attempting to mimic and then repair his infections. Shepard recalled Tali catching Chicken Pox, or at least mimicking the infection that Presley had. She got up and gently steered him to a seat, aware that his eyes were darting wildly about, at her and her companions, but more than likely praying to whatever Gods the Quarians believed in that whatever monsters took the people here might come back for him.


	4. Reunions and Normandy Reborn

4.

They listened as Veetor, in his disjointed way told them that the monsters had swarms of insects, insects that paralysed the people and then the monsters came for them, "Why not you?" Taylor wanted to know,

"His environmental suit hid his readings" Miranda explained "and it fits if they wanted just humans, they wouldn't be looking for him."

"Veetor, what did these...monsters look like?" Shepard asked, taking on board what Miranda had said.

"There were many readings around them, dark energy reading, dark matter." He was rambling and he was scared. He used his omni-tool and up on the screen came the image of insect like creatures swarming round the humans, then...something.

Cassie, using her own Omni-tool brought the image closer and enlarged it. "What the fuck are they?" She muttered.

"The Collectors" Miranda slowly said.

"Ridiculous" Jacob scoffed "The Collectors don't exist, they are myth, like the gorgon or something..."

"i am telling you Taylor, they are Collectors" Miranda firmly stated. "They rarely venture beyond the Omega 4 relay but that's not to say they don't come through."

"Whatever they are, they are targeting humans" Shepard got to her feet as Miranda suddenly, and quite urgently said,

"We need that data Shepard, we should take the Quarian back with us."

Tali came running in to hear Miranda rather clipped order, and it was an order, not a suggestion. To her relief Cassie shook her head.

"He needs help Lawson and I doubt that Cerberus would be able to give him that help." She looked at Tali "Do you know anything about the Collectors Tal?"

"No" She shook her head "I know that there have been time in the past the Quarians sort their aid to try and get back the home world, but from what I learnt of those times, the cost would have been too high." She twisted her fingers around each other, a sign that she was nervous "Shepard, let me take Veetor back, please. I give you my word I will pass on any details I find, and when I am finished with what I have to do, I will come to your aid...please Cassie."

Cassie put her hands on Talis shoulders and kissed the top of the visor, "Your word has always been good enough for me Tali, take Veetor home and when you are done, come find me, or if I can aid you I will."

Tali hugged her friend tightly "Keelah it is good to see you Cassie." She smiled although pleased that her visor hid the tear that fell from her eye "I am glad that you are the one still calling the shots."

Shepard nodded and watched her friend leave. She returned her attention to the screen and heaved a heavy sigh, so, they had a name for their enemies. The Collectors had her attention now...

Cassie stood once more on the holo-imager and the arguments of Taylor and Lawson left behind in her ear. Once again the Illusive man was sitting in his chair, a glass of bourbon in his left hand and a newly lit cigarette in his right.

"The Quarians forwarded their findings to us, given our history I am surprised."

"Tali gave me her word" Cassie folded her arms, now out of uniform and in a pair of jeans and vest top she cut an imposing figure. Her body full regaining her previous muscle tone, she was impressive a figure as any military figure or athlete. "So who are the Collectors?"

"Unsure," The Illusive man admitted "What we know is they barter their technology in return for whatever they require, slaves, specimens anything they want they get their technology is very sort after."

"So its worth any price then? OK so they are targeting humans. Why don't we just go after them?"

"We can't" He pointed to her left side and as Cassie looked she saw a chair and a drink behind her. Sitting down she picked up the drink and sniffed it "I believe Haig was your favourite tipple" She nodded and arched an eyebrow as she saw the cigarette. She took it and lit it with the lighter beside it.

"So why can't we chase them?"

"Because the Omeaga 4 relay leads to dead space, the galactic core if you will, the Bermuda Triangle of space, if we go in there now, we will end up like the thousands of other ships that have gone through and never returned.

No, you need to build a team Shepard, and then get everything you will need to allow you to travel safety through the other side and back again."

"I want the same team that helped me once before, we all worked well together."

The Illusive man swallowed his liquor and shook his head "I will admit, Tali helping was a surprise and I will need time to think about that one. Urdnot Wrex returned to Tuchunka when you died, he has not been off world since."

"Really?" She frowned a little and hoped that Wrex was OK, she would head there at some point and check on him.

"I have no idea what he is doing, the Krogan tend to keep outsiders away from their home world, given what's happened to them in the past, I can't say I blame them."

"What about Liara T'Soni and Garrus Vakarian?"

"T'Soni is on Ilium and we believe she is working for the Shadow Broker, if that is the case then she cannot be trusted."

"Pfft" Shepard scoffed "Liara is not some international spy you know."

"A lot has changed since you died Shepard. Vakarian, well he quit his job at C-Sec and vanished, no one knows where he is."

She thought that might happen, Garrus always swore he would find her, she supposed he was still looking and she desperately needed him to find some peace. His soul was wounded, it always had been ever since he had seen the reality of the way things were, how justice and revenge could blur into lines that were sometimes indistinguishable from each other.

"What about Williams?"

"She is on duty somewhere, her file is very highly classified, even I can't get at it." He admitted.

"Right.." She sighed, it was obvious she was going to have to work with Lawson, Taylor and whomever they found.

"Take some rest, your ship will be ready later tonight, and acquaint yourself with your pilot, they will be sufficiently up to the task, So can I count on your aid?"

Shepard picked her glass up and stood up, she nodded and walked away. The platform shut down. As the doors opened a familiar voice said in shock "Damn it, they said you were back but...CASSIE!"

Cassie could have wept there and then, the last time she saw him, he was screaming her name, fire and flame, explosions all around him. She had whispered goodbye to him and slammed the pod shut, let him get away.

Joker almost fell into her arms, he had not dared to believe that what he had been told was true, for the last two years he had blamed himself for her dying, when they took his life away he had joined Cerberus, they had offered him not only to have his dream of flying back but his best friend, his sister back.

He had not believed it until now. Now she was standing before him, and he could barely contain himself.

"What's this?" She laughed "No braces?"

"Miranda did some work on my legs" he admitted "Hasn't cured it, never will but she said they are strong enough without the need for braces. Doesn't mean I can dance the fandango but, I can move about a little easier then I did before." 

"Damn Jeff.." She moved him back to take a long look at him "I can't believe its you"

"Speak for yourself Cass, I saw you get spaced. I – I watched you die and yet here you are...you aren't one of them clones are you?"

Cassie laughed "No I can assure you I am not one of them clones, I did check with Miranda and she insists I am me." 

They walked along the corridor to the mess hall. Joker told her why he had joined Cerberus, and she was shocked that the Alliance wanted nothing to do with what happened over Sovereign,

"But what about Anderson?"

"Come on Cass" Joker sighed as they stopped by a darkened window "The Captain may be on the council but against those three...well the Turian and Salarian, Teevos actually seemed to be on our side, they walk all over him as far as they are allowed to anyway"

Cassandra ruefully agreed and scowled as they stopped by the blackened windows. "Um why you stopped here Jeff?"

For once the Joker had the upper hand on his friend "Well I been flying those Cerberus fighters to keep my hours up, and this well they only told me about this last night, said I was to reveal it to the frigates new commander."

He spoke into his collar and the lights came on, one by one, revealing a sight that took Cassies breath away. She rested a hand against the window as the vessel that had been part of her soul began to reveal itself.

"We'll have to give her a name Joker" Cassie whispered although she knew that they would call it, and so did Joker.

"There's only one name to give her Cass" He put his arm round her waist and kissed her forehead "Welcome home Commander"

"you too Joker"

The Normandy, bigger than her namesake, flying the black white and gold colours of Cerberus, hung before them both like a goddess ready to deal omnipotent destruction on the enemies of mankind and her allies.

She was a credit to her previous incarnation and she would do those who died aboard the original Normandy proud.


	5. EDI

5.

She strode down the walkway, a new purpose in her heart, now she was where she belonged, where she always belonged and, for the first time since her resurrection, Cassie Shepard felt truly at home. It was as if her destiny was tied to this ship, it may have new fixtures, fittings and an upgrade from the one that was destroyed, but it was the Normandy.

Shepard was nothing without the Normandy and her hoary pilot. As she turned round to get a better look she saw Jokers expression and tipped him a wink. He was like a kid in a candy store that was for certain.

On her left was Miranda, her designated first officer, She may not have been altogether comfortable with that, but Miranda knew what she was doing in and out of a lab. Maybe if she got that arrogant head of her shoulders and accepted that even she could be fallible and get with the programme then she might just start to like the woman, as it was, she set her on edge at the best of times. Making Shepard feel like some sort of lab rat was not conclusive to a good working relationship, but the Illusive man had insisted and as it was his money that paid for this, then what he said went, at least until these Collectors were dealt with. After that all bets were off.

On her right side walked Jacob Taylor, a good man by all accounts, if he remained as honest at he claimed to be, well they would get along fine. Joker...at least she had someone she knew and trusted with her life to watch her back.

She made her way to the CIC as Taylor and Lawson told her about the crew compliment and other things. She listened and nodded, thanking them for the information when a holographic image appeared.

"The Normandy is all ready to go Miss Lawson, all systems checked and calibrated and all exceeding expecting parameters."

"Thanks EDI"

"What the hell?" Shepard stared at the holographic image "What are you?"

"EDI is the Normandy's AI Shepard." Lawson told her "She does the things that humans cannot"

"I don't want an AI on my ship!"

"Have I offended?" EDI asked, a little hint of emotion in her voice.

"I don't trust AI's"

"Shepard was attacked by AI's on several occasions, including the Geth and one on Lunar, as well as the AI Reaper Sovereign"

"Then I understand why the Commander would feel that way. Rest assured Shepard I am nothing like the Geth or the Reapers."

"That remains to be seen" Shepard muttered and turned to face the two Cerberus operatives "So what's first?"

"If I may recommend orbiting Omeaga and recruiting Doctor Solus,"

"Thats a good idea thank you EDI" Miranda looked at the perplexed Commander "We need to find a counter measure that can act against those seeker swarms Veetor mentioned about"

"Solus?"

"He is a Salarian former STG operative and one of the finest medical minds in Salarian space" Miranda explained.

"Wait...a Salarian, Cerberus is recruiting a Salarian?" Shepard folded her arms, both her eyebrows raised in disbelief that a staunch pro human group such as Cerberus would recruit non-humans to their cause.

"We need the best we can get on this Shepard, and if that means recruiting out of the box and reaching out to the other races, then that's what we will do." Miranda told her "I really should get on with my duties, I will be in my office if you need me"

Taylor saluted her and headed to the armoury, his designated area. Miranda walked off the bridge leaving Shepard to her own devices.

The Commander shrugged to herself and headed back down the walkway towards the cockpit and a grinning Joker. "Something make you happy?" She asked, sitting in another seat.

"Leather seats boss, OK so these are installed on civilian craft, military won't use them but leather seats" 

"Joker, we are here to save colonists, not gush at the décor" Cassie warned,

"Well yeah but come on...when was the last time I was this comfortable Cass?"

"Your comfort was not thought about Mr Moreau" EDI popped up "and the Normandy is not a military vessel"

"And there's the pisser, I liked the Normandy when she was quiet, did as I told her and took care of us"

"I am here to aid, not to hinder"

"Yeah like I need an AI to tell me the airlock door is ajar or I forgot to zip my pants coming out the rest room" Joker snorted.

"Shut up a minute grumpy" Cassie got up "So how are you two getting along?"

"Mister Moreau is indignant that I have been installed aboard _his_ ship"

"Well you know, some super hyper juiced AI tried to destroy the universe not so long ago..."He saw his friends exasperated expression "hey just putting it out there to remind you...you know that Sovereign was a big ass AI civilisation killer..."

Cass ignored him for the moment, when Joker got his head on there was no getting his sarcasm level down.

"So, what else can you do EDI?" She asked

"I can break through an enemy ships defence system, break down their shields and their weapons become inoperative" She explained

"So you deal with Cybr warfare. Interesting that's pretty useful and it gives us an edge"

Cassie had spent some time reading up on the technical advances on the journey from Freedoms Progress to Omeaga Station. In the two years she had been deceased ship technology had advanced considerably. More from the Prothean Beacons she suspected.

"So why do we have an AI?" She clamped a hand down on Jokers shoulder to shut him up before he could say anything "Wouldn't a VI be better suited?"

"A VI is suited to the needs it is programmed for Commander, but an AI can do far more and compute faster than a VI or humanoid species"

"And you have no trouble working with humans or other sentient species?"

"I have shackles in place Commander, I monitor and protect the Normandy and her crew..."

"Wait..monitor? Like our health and the ships status?" Cassie didn't like the sound of that and, judging by the look that Joker just shot her, neither did he.

"Yes and when you are on away missions, but the Illusive Man has installed monitoring devices over the ship. Which is natural considering the Billions of credits he spent rebuilding Normandy"

Cassie muttered under her breath something rude which made Joker smirk "Well if he has any installed in my quarters EDI, turn them off. I want one place on my ship that I can call private"

EDI was silent for a second or two then said "It is done Shepard"

"Good"

She leant on the back of Jokers chair "So, what can you tell me about Cerberus?" She asked as she stared out of the window.

"A lot of information I have is locked away although I cannot access it and I assume if the situation requires me to part with it, I will do."

"OK so can you tell me how Cerberus managed to rebuild the Normandy and no one knew about it?"

"Cerberus had people working on the original design team with the Turians, it was simply a case of redefining the original designs and expanding on them" EDI explained. "Normandy mark 2 is faster and bigger than the original Normandy, although where she was built is top secret"

"Nothing ever changes with Cerberus huh Cass" Joker snarked.

"They do pay you Mister Moreau" 

"Yeah and a nice pay cheque it is too EDI" He retorted "I just don't like secrets, never have, just like I don't like my baby being co-piloted by a fucking AI"

"Joker...like it or not EDI is here and she is here to stay, now button it and start dealing with it" She rubbed the back of her neck "OK now?" Joker nodded "So..Tali told me Ash got married"

Joker turned his cap back to front, a sign that he was either preparing to do something Jokeresq or that he was going to say something he did not want it. EDI, sensing the sudden change in atmosphere shut herself off.

"Yeah Cass, she did" he turned his chair round "I'm sorry Skipper"

"No its OK Joker, can't expect people to be the same"

"Cass?"

"Have a shuttle prepared and let Lawson and Taylor know I will be leaving for Omeaga in an hour. I need to get changed"

Joker watched her walk away. He lowered his gaze and closed his eyes, he knew how Cassie had fallen for Ashley, she had fallen hard for her and he had known all his life, she had never fallen for anyone the way she had fallen for Ash.

He left it a moment then glanced towards the holographic representation of EDI "Do as Shepard says, let Lawson and Taylor know to meet her in an hour. I'll let the deck crew know to have the Shuttle ready"


	6. Welcome to Omeaga

6.

Cassie Stood looking at herself in the mirror the armour was form fitting and the only one she could find that didn't have a Cerberus logo on it. She worked with them, didn't mean she had to work for them or advertise the fact.

She crossed to the weapons locker that was in her room, although the armoury was stationed off the bridge she had asked for gun locker to put in her quarters, thankfully the Illusive Man obliged her request.

She stared at her reflection for a long time. Lines crossed her cheeks and above her eyes, lines that hadn't quite healed yet. She gazed at her eyes, blood shot and still haunted by the images of peace she had.

She put the visor on and pressing her fingers to the side the information she needed came scrolling up. She holstered her pistol and rifle then made her way down to the med bay. She still had some time and she wanted to make sure whomever was down there didn't need anything.

"Doc my name is Co...Karen?"

"Commander Shepard, first human Spectre, saviour of the citadel" Karen Chakwas turned in her seat, tears brimming in her eyes as she laid eyes on her best friends daughter "I saw you die Cassandra" She rose from her seat and opened her arms.

Cass walked into them and held the hug for a few seconds and then let go. She smiled and finally relaxed. First Joker, now Karen, she was starting to feel at home. "Its good to see you Doc. So, how did the Illusive Man bring you on board?"

"Tell you what" Karen cupped her hand round Cassies cheek and stroked it with her thumb "You go do what you have to do on Omega and we'll have a catch up" She held both her hands to Cassies head "Want me to call your mother? Let her know you're alive?"

Cassie nodded and taking Karens hands from her face she kissed them "Just don't tell her they rebuilt me Doc, she doesn't need to know all the details"

"I'm not sure I do but Doctor Lawson has promised to fill me in. Go and be careful on Omeaga, Aria T'Lok is not known for her patience"

Cassie nodded and turning she walked out of the Med bay. Karen watched her go, a worried expression on her face. She had seen something in the young Commanders eyes, she looked up as Joker came in.

"She's different Doc" He sat on one of the beds as Karen pulled a scanner over and then called her omni-tool up "Somethings different about her, like she's lost, part of her does not belong here you know"

Karen glanced at him, she was a medical doctor and a woman of science, but she also had a faith maybe not as strong as Ashley's had been but she had one. She checked Joker over then handed him his new medication.

"They say if you are brought back from the afterlife, you are never the same. Part of you is lost, you cannot go back there and you spend however long you have trying to go back there. In effect Cassandra was brought back from the dead, once her body was rebuilt, they needed her soul" She raised her eyebrows "She's not going to be the same Cassandra we know Jeff. To everyone else she will be the same Commander Shepard, to those that know her, she won't"

Jeff nodded and pushed his cap back a little "Then its up to us to look after her, isn't it Doc?"

Karen nodded and smiled sadly "Yes Jeff, its up to us. Now I have a call to make to Hannah, so you have a clean bill of health and do not forget to take them! EDI will let me know if you don't"

"Awe come on Karen...you got the fuc...bloody AI watching me now?" Joker whined.

"Someone has to" She insisted and when the Doc insisted about something, you did it. "Now stop your whining and get back to doing what you do best."

Omega, considered to be one of the most lawless planets in the galaxy, except it wasn't a planet. It was a former Eezo mining station hollowed out and built upon to become a thriving community of pirates, merc bands and all sorts of other thievery and skulduggery, all wrapped up in the often violent rule of an Asari Matriarch by the name of Aria T'Lok.

Cassie had met with the bounty hunter Zaeed Massani and sent him back to the Normandy. Not to mention being accosted by a Salarian and then a Batarian. The Batarian had the nerve to tell her to go straight to the Asari's den. Cass had other ideas, she would go and see this Asari when she was good and ready, not before.

Batarians didn't scare her, they might give others pause for concern but they didn't scare her. She had actually got into his face and told him in no uncertain terms what his mistress could do with her barking hound.

Now as they came out into the main concourse she heaved a sigh. Dominant in the place was a night club, the letters Afterlife, burning it's way into the eternal dark skies of the large meteorite. "She likes to be seen doesn't she?" Cassandra muttered to her two companions "OK EDI, give me a heads up, let me know where to find Doctor Solas and this Archangel fella"

"Doctor Solas is in a medical centre located at the heart of the Plague district. Getting in there may well be a problem as it is on lock down. The Gozu District is the hub of Omegas slum areas. Low cost housing is offset by the deaths and gang warfare that constantly rages the streets of that area of Omeaga."

"What no police or law enforcement?" Jacob asked.

"This is Omeaga" Miranda sighed "The reason people come here is because there is no law enforcement agencies. Everything in Omeaga is run by Aria T'Lok".

"Then something needs to be done about her" Jacob shot back.

"Nothing will be done about her, she is a necessary evil Jacob. She controls all the gang activity and the Terminus Systems as a whole. Nothing gets in and out without her say so. You can't change that, and someone like Aria, with the hold she has..they will let her remain as she is.

The Asari won't remove her nor will they acknowledge whatever connections she has within their matriarchy. You have to accept that there are some thing you cannot change in the world Jacob"

"Doesn't mean I have to like it" He snarled.

"Lawson is right Taylor. Its the same the universe over, even on Earth. Where there is sentient life there will always be someone controlling the chaos, and on Omeaga that's her. Now come on, I need to get something for the engineers then I am going to get the Salarian"

"Without Aria's say so..." Lawson began.

"I don't care. There are colonies our there vanishing and no one is doing a damn thing about it, not the council and not the Alliance, and I am not going to bow down to some Asari bitch who thinks by pissing in the corner she can ruin my world." Cassie interrupted. "Lets move."

The Turian standing at the entrance to the Gozu District tried to tell them they weren't going in, he had been arguing with a human woman and had denied her entrance. He eventually let them pass but the welcoming committee they got was not very friendly. Within a few minutes of getting inside a group wearing no specific gang marked armour began firing at them.

With a little help from Mirandas abilities Cassie and Jacob made short work of the trio. With the smell of gunfire in the air mingled with Turian and human blood, her body count was already up. They carried on through the district, doing clean up against Blue Suns and Blood Pack.

Cassie had never fought against the Vorcha before and was becoming increasingly annoyed at their re-gen rate. Faster than a Krogan it appeared. Miranda, who had made studying xeno species a side project of hers told her Commander to shoot them in the head.

"What? Like in the old Zombie flicks?" Cassie had almost laughed incredulously.

"Shoot them anywhere else they re-gen, shoot them in the head and they stay down." Setting her laser pointed to maximum, using a balcony as cover, she began to fire a single shot here, a double tap there.

Taylor threw some from their hiding place leaving them open targets for the Cerberus Commander and N7 Special Forces warrior. It was during all this that Shepard actually had a new respect for Miranda.

She was very beautiful. Very probably the most beautiful woman Shepard had ever laid eyes on. Her biotics were powerful and impressive for a human. She had known a few human biotics, Alenko among them but even she made Alenko look like a child in pre-school. Her intelligence put a Salarian to shame so all in all, she resolved to put aside her reservations about the woman and listen to what she had to say on Xeno matters at any rate.

Jacob...well the jury was still out on him. He was a soldier and a good one, but whilst he looked for all the world like he world wise, he had little idea on how things really worked in the grander scheme of things. By his accent she figured he came from the American mid west, maybe Detroit she didn't know, she was not great with accents. His file said surprisingly little. He had indeed been a Corsair and had terrific scores for both ballistic hand to hand and Biotics, but he relied on his biotics a little too much.

"Taylor enough, don't burn your amp" She spoke harshly, she needed him to not rely on them too much.

"I can handle it Commander"

"A soldier should use all the armoury at his disposal not just his biotics" She snapped and popping out of cover blew a Salarian away with one hole in the head before ducking back from the Vorcha and their frigging rocket launchers. "Now enough and switch to your hand weapon!"

"I got this!" He retorted.

Shepard snarled under her breath and was about to say something then Miranda handed her a weapon she had never seen before.

"Its an M920 Cain" Miranda explained "I found it in that weapons cache over there. I can't fire it, too heavy for me but you..."

Cassie looked at it and gave Miranda a half smile, she yelled at Taylor to duck and aiming fired it dead centre into the pack of Blood Pack and their Vorcha.

"WAHHHHOOOOO" She screamed as the resulting explosion left virtually nothing of their assailants except ash. With maybe bits of limb here and there.

"Now that...that is what I call a fucking good day" She slung it over her shoulder and into her heavy weapons socket. She turned to Miranda "You...you keep feeding me information no matter how trivial and you..." She rounded on Jacob "the last time a biotic didn't do what I told him, I nearly ended up atomic ash, when I tell you to change weapon you bloody well better do it, or like Alenko I will have you off the Normandy so fast your fucking feet wont touch the fucking ground...do I make myself clear Lieutenant?" He nodded "Good, now that Batarian plague victim where did he say we go?"

"Through here and round to the left" Miranda told her.

"Good lets go"

Mordan was like a hamster on speed, that was the only way to describe it. He had an arrogance about him that he acknowledged but didn't seem to really care. He had sent them to restart the air purification systems of the district. Now, back on the Normandy she watched him study the data the Quarians had given them.

"You know what this is doc? Miranda and EDI think its some kind of neural-toxin" She sat next to him.

He was in the later stages of Salarian life, they lived for forty years or more, so whilst most species had settled into their lives like well worn coats Salarians were facing the end of theirs. One of his ears was curved down, it looked like it might have been ripped off at some point, but no it was hanging down at a strange angle.

"Yes, one that is specifically produced for humans only. That does not mean it would not affect the rest of the team but Humans do face the bigger risk"

"So, hows things at your clinic? Daniel settling in?"

"He is settling in fine, Aria was most happy with the situations resolution, even if you did not go to see her when she ordered."

"One thing you will learn about me Mordan, I trust my team to make the right decisions based on their gut instincts or facts...I don't dance to the Illusive Mans tune and I certainly don't dance to an Asari with a Narcissistic personality."

Mordan chuckled "Did you know that her name was Aleah...in a previous life, who knows how many names these Asari take"

Cassie arched and eyebrow and then frowned, a tale from Wrex entering her mind triggered by the mention of that name "No, but that's...good to know. So back to business, do you think you could come up with a counter measure against those swarming insects? One that we could use?"

"Given time I can come up with something that I can put into the armour of anyone who goes down onto a colony infected with those swarms. It would be helpful if you could capture one for me.."

Shepard got up and crossing to a locker she punched in a series of codes, motioning the Salarian over she removed a bell jar with one of them in. "We found this one on Freedoms Progress, I was going to stamp on it, but Miranda suggested we bring it back. For study, so knock yourself out Mordan, if I need you on a mission I will call you"

"Shepard, you will need to deal with Aria if you want to get to Archangel" He told her "and good to be here, thankyou for bringing me"

"You get me a counter measure for the swarms and we'll call it even" She nodded at him and headed back onto the bridge, nodding at Kelly Chambers as she went passed, she hadn't had the time to get to know her PA yet but once this was dealt with she would make a point of going round the crew and getting to know them all. "Zaeed, Miranda meet me in the shuttle ten minutes"

"Roger that" Massanis voice came over.

"Understood Shepard" Miranda replied.

"Joker, EDI look after the Normandy"


	7. Archangel

7.

The music pounded so loud it almost blew Cassies ear drums out. Set on three levels, Afterlife catered it seemed for all tastes. A smaller bar on the lowest level for the people who couldn't afford the more expensive drinks, a medium sized bar on the second level, that was more for those who wanted to slow it down and would make arrangements for their fun for the rest of the night, or simply watch the pole dancers.

The top level was where everything that happened in Omeaga happened. Shady deals, assassination plots and as the trio made their way inside their gazes fell to a large mezzanine that overlooked the entire dance floor.

That would be where Aria held court. "She is quite the Drama Queen" Miranda told them, raising her voice so that it could be heard above the music, even their comms had trouble filtering out the noise. "She likes everyone to know she is there, she is in charge and that she is watching them"

"Big brother is watching you" Shepard muttered and saw Zaeeds quizzical look "An old novel by George Orwell, a 20th century author. He wrote a book called 1984, about how the government of the day used the technology of the day to control its citizens. It coined the old phrase Big brother is watching you"

"Or in this case Big Sister" he snarked.

Cassie and Miranda agreed with him on that. They passed the recruiting den, no point going in there because until they had seen Aria, they wouldn't be allowed in there. In Afterlife, it seemed she held all the cards.

She made her way round and up the stairs that led to where Aria held court. Couple of Turian guards, Batarian and some Asari commandos. "How very droll" Miranda commented. There were three dancers dancing for the bodyguards delight but the trio were in no doubt they too, were armed.

"Wait a minute" The Batarian that had stopped Shepard originally stepped in front of her "I told you to come straight here!"

"And I told you when I am good and ready"

He snarled under his breath, he had a slight bruise on his cheek and under his left bottom eye, Obviously Aria didn't like the word NO unless she used it, He held up an omni-tool. "Stand still..."

"You run that over me Fargut and I'll yank your colon out through your mouth with no anaesthetic."

"Hah" A female voice called over "Now that I would pay to see but you get scanned, or we don't talk"

"Fine" she stepped back "I'll be sure to let Wrex know where you are...I am sure he will be itching for a rematch"

The Asari arched an eyebrow and waved Fargut away, She stepped in front of Shepard and looked her up and down, her pale blue eyes showing outwardly disinterest, but inwardly..what did this human know about her?

"I am Aria and this is my place, watch what you do and say in here Shepard. I appreciate the clean up in the Gozu district but when I call...you fucking come"

Cassie snorted "I am not your fucking lapdog Aria or whatever name you call yourself. I came here cause I want to find Archangel, not clean up your shit"

Miranda and Zaed watched the two powerful figures before them. Miranda doubted anyone had ever spoken to Aria in the way Cassie did, without ending up with a bullet in their skull. Still it was entertaining.

"You don't get how Omeaga works do you Shepard, if you are Shepard, you could be anyone under that face" Aria sneered "You come when Omeaga calls, Don't fuck with her"

Cassie pushed Aria back into her seat and leaning over rested both hands either side of her and moved her face inches from the Asari's. Guns now pointed at her "Don't …. fuck...with me Asari I have no time for your little pantomime. Tell me how to find Archangel so I can get off this shit hole and do what I am being paid to do"

Aria laughed "You come into my den and threaten me? You have certainly got some front Shepard, I have six guns pointed at you, do you really think you can escape"

Cassie stepped back clicked her heel on the floor then put her left foot up on the dais, a blade protruding from the end of the boot. "Maybe, but how long do you think it will take me to stick this in you and open you up from fanny to neck?" She arched an eyebrow "So..where do I find Archangel?"

"Go to the recruiting office down the stairs" Aria told her after a very long and uncomfortable pause. "Your friend has all of Omeaga players after him, quite a feat"

"He is not my friend, and I will deal with the other mercs" She set her boot down, the blade retracting back in She stepped back and glared at the Batarian and Turian either side of her "Better luck next time" She called over her shoulder and motioning with her head, Miranda and Zaed followed her down.

"You know her?" Zaed asked, glancing back as he felt two distinctly hostile eyes on his back, although he suspected that was more for the Commander then for him alone.

"Not personally," Cassie admitted "but I have an old friend who's better acquainted with her then I ever could be, or would want to be."

She waited as someone was already talking to the Merc recruiter and for the briefest of moments thought she saw something, out the corner of her eye and in the shadows. Eyes, two cybernetic eyes stare at her from the shadows, then they were gone as quickly as they had appeared.

She shook her head once more. Ever since she had woken up in that bloody meat factory, she had had the strangest feeling she was being watched. There were other things too, like how she was accepting of Ashleys marriage. She was certain the old her would have gone and made the Chief well aware she was alive and well.

Stolen her right out from under her husbands nose too. Yet she seemed detached from it, sure it had hurt but that was it. It was like stepping back and accepting that what will be will be, no other feeling other than that.

It worried her. She had heard myths about what happened when people were brought back from the dead, but that was the old light in the tunnel nonsense, she had been dead for two years and somehow, some way Cerberus had recovered her body, how they found it when no one in the Alliance bloody well could was beyond her, and they had pulled what had been left of her body back into form.

Well her body and her mind maybe but not her soul. There was something...not right, she did not know what it was and she did not like the feeling of being disjointed, on the verge of exploding all the time, this was not her, and now she felt like she was being watched. By someone or something.

It wasn't that she was not grateful to Miranda for doing her job, she was however bitter that she had been yanked from her rest and her peace back into a world of death, blood and destruction. That was something she was not able to reconcile, not yet and why in the name of the gods did they think she was the only one who could deal with the Reapers?

Fucking hell did they not have an army? Did they not have the brains to set aside their differences and fight a common enemy? They had done against the Rachni and the Krogan. She heaved an irritated sigh and when the Batarian looked at her arched an eyebrow.

"Is this where we sign up?"

"Yeah just down the stairs and too your left...do I know you from somewhere?" His gravely voice questioned.

"Nope, never seen you before, sure I would remember a mug like that"

Zaed snorted with suppressed laughter and Miranda turned her head a little. Shepard had little time for Batarians, especially since a group almost steered an Asteroid into a human colony for nothing better than a point to be made.

She moved past him and stood in front of yet another Batarian, damn it did the Blue Suns have more Batarians then any other merc band, She knew Eclipse was mostly Asari and Salarian with the oldd Human. Blood Pack were primarily Krogan and Vorcha...Vorcha what the hell were they anyway?

Blue Suns it seemed were Turian, Human and Batarian...the three most antagonistic races in the same band? Yeah that wasn't going to be trouble at all. So who ever this archangel was, he had certainly pissed them off royally to get them to all work to take him out.

The Batarian looked at her and made some snide remark about her needing to go see the strippers until she put her gun to his nuts or where she assumed his nuts were, for all she knew they might have had four of them too, Krogan did that was for certain. Hell he might have two dicks she had not idea and no interest in finding out.

"Bet I can shoot one of them off before you move...Princess" She sweetly said.

The Batarian grinned and laughed raising his hands to show his surrender to her point "Sorry, had so many wannabes its hard to tell who's real and who's taking the piss" He glanced down at the gun and Cassie moved it then holstered it. "Well you got your own armour and the weapons..obviously" He tapped his screen and explained what they were being hired to do and that it did not mean they had been inducted into any of the other Merc groups.

They were Freelance and that was that.

And that had been that. They had taken the taxi to the far side of Omeaga, here in a set of apartments set aside for whatever use was deemed necessary. It looked like it had been used for this Archangel and his crew before the Mercs took over.

Not only had they taken care of the Mech, but found some evidence of a plot against Aria, Shepard decided to keep that nugget till a later date, never know when it might come in handy. With someone like Aria she needed to have a bit more than a knowledge of one of her aliases. Gods alone knew what the blue skinned hellions real name was, but to have dirt on one of them...well that was worth keeping.

Besides if going back to the Alliance was not an option after this then she might need to carve herself a little piece of Omeaga. Maybe...nah who was she kidding, when this was over there would be more ills to fight and besides she liked the idea of having one or two things over on Aria, it would make life interesting.

Once she got what she wanted out of Cathca, she killed him and disabled his gunship. Then they went across the Bridge into hell.

She paced in the mess hall. Glancing at the med bay that was now blackened out. She paced more when she realised it was taking too long. She prayed to a god that she did not believe in, that he was going to be okay.

She had been stunned, surprised and overjoyed in one big measure when she realised that Archangel was none other than Garrus Vakarian. Her best friend, one of them anyway. The one man she could count on along with Wrex to always tell her how it was. Joker did that but that was different, he knew how to talk to her. Garrus and Wrex gave her other opinions and their reasoning, whether she liked it or not, were always well presented, it always gave her pause for concern.

Now he was laying in the Normandy's med bay having half his lower jaw reattached. She made her way up to the comms room, unable to do anything to help had just made her more frustrated. Garrus was in good hands with Karen, she was an expert in Xeno medicine, and they had managed to find a Turian medic in Omegas clinic who had come to give her a hand.

She looked up as the doors opened at first there was no one there and then Garrus walked in, his blue former C-Sec armour battered where the missile had hit. She got to her feet and smiled warmly as he cleared his throat.

"It's going to be a mess isn't it?" He tried to sound humorous "I knew hooking up with you again was going to do this to me"

"Oh come on big guy" She teased back "You were always ugly, that's just gonna make you appear a little better. I hear the Krogan like scars though...turns their women right on"

Garrus laughed then winced "Cass don't make me laugh...my face can't take it and its only just holding together"

She chuckled and walked up to him, being careful of his facial bandages she hugged him. Garrus looked a little surprised at first, then slowly put his arms round her as she tightened the hug. He closed his eyes.

This was Cassie Shepard, his Cassie, his closest Human friend and she was real. He had not believed it, he thought she was a clone, but no, the doc had told him it was her. Still there was something not right, she was different and whilst he couldn't tell how, he just knew on a level that someone close to that person might know. He stepped back and looked at her, his arms outstretched hands on her shoulders.

"Cerberus?" He let the question hang, not really expecting an answer, sometimes Shepard wouldn't.

"Human Colonies are vanishing Gar" She held his hands for a moment before sitting down and letting him sit next to her, one of his hands still over hers as he listened to what she had to say.

He made a derisive snort, which coming from Garrus was funny, he had picked up a few Human mannerisms in his time with the original Normandy seemed to have stuck too. He folded his mandibles over her fingers and raising her hand kissed the back of it.

"Whatever it takes Cassandra. Just like old times" He got up "I am fit for duty..."

"No your not, but I am not going to argue with you. Go see Taylor, he has a suit of armour for you"

Garrus nodded "We'll save the day Cassie, we always do"

"Don't we fucking always Gar and go say hi to Joker. Never hear the end of it otherwise...you know that oray bastard"

Garrus nodded "I'll be in the forward battery, I want to see what they have done to the girl. Make sure she's up to scratch"

"Garrus...any ideas how to make them guns more powerful?" Cassie asked.

He nodded "Oh yeah, i'll settle in and then add a few things here and there. I'll make those guns sing and give those bastards something to think about"

She got up and standing on tip toe kissed his cheek and stroked his other one "We'll talk later Gar and its damn good to see you Vakarian."

He winked and walked away, leaving the Commander what had befallen her friend in the intervening two years,

"Joker, who's next?" She called.

"Trip to the Citadel, Andersons wants to see you" He told her.

"Oh this is going to be so much fun...not," She cut the intercom and heaving a sigh turned to look out at the star field before her. Aria could wait. There were more important things then some power holding bitch.


	8. Somethings never change

8.

The citadel had changed. Well it had from the last time she was here and that had been when Sovereign had dropped on top of it, then exploded sending pieces down onto the wards. She stood on the Praesidium and looked over it.

She had spoken with Kasumi, probably one of the most unusual conversations she had had in a while, but still, the thief was on board. Now she stood with Garrus and Miranda in Andersons office. Garrus stood beside her as she watched the Ambassadors and their staff mill about.

"As Bailey told you, they made sure the Presidium was the first place repaired. There are some wards that are operational, but Chora's Den and the Lower Markets. That's gone" He shook his head "So many people died in the wards Cassie, I don't know if even the Council know how many"

"But have to get the infrastructure done first right Gar" She said with a little bit of bitterness in her voice "Forget that people are missing loved ones, dead or otherwise as long as the council have their, comforts"

"You know better than anyone Cassandra, that without the stabilising effect of the government chaos ensures"

She and Garrus turned as the deep baritone of Councillor Anderson cut across their conversation. He ran his dark eyes over the young woman, as if looking for something, anything that would tell him that she was not who he knew her to be.

There was nothing, the anger at the loss of life being played second to government needs was still there. The agitated stance when she was being prevented from doing what she did best. Yet there was something, an emptiness in her eyes, almost as if she had no soul to speak off, it was there, but changed, different.

But then again, what did he expect she had been abandoned by her people, found by those who had been her enemies, healed, and sent out to do what she did best.

"What I know Councillor," She told him with an edge to her voice "is that colonies are vanishing, humans are disappearing and the Alliance and Council are not doing a damn fucking thing about it" She glared "and what I know is that my fathers best friend, a man I looked up to like a father couldn't be bothered to come and find me!" She clenched her fist "or bring me home"

David Anderson went to bring her into a hug but she stepped back, Her anger was simmering as it had since she woke up. She turned as the holographic emitter flashed then tweaked into life and the images of the Council stood before her.

"Shepard, was it too much to ask that you stayed away?" Spartias growled.

"You ungrateful bastard" Garrus yelled "Shepard saved your miserable fucking life"

"Even so Garrus, this is a problem" The Salarian tried to inject some calm.

"Enough!" Teevos raised her voice, "Cassandra, I am pleased to see you, in more ways then one." She offered the Commander a smile. "Please, accept that, and understand that as you are working with a declared enemy of the council and as such, this is going to be a problem...but nothing that cannot be worked around"

Cassie inclined her head towards the Asari, her respect for the woman never changing. "I remember everything Councillor" She slowly said "Everything"

Teevos smiled a little and nodded. "Then come to my office alone, We will talk there away from … distractions" She glanced at her colleagues "in the meantime, the council cannot be seen to favour the affairs of one race over another, as disturbing as that is."

"Yes, human affairs are not our concern" Valen sniffed.

Cassie looked at David who shook his head and then walked up to the holographic image of the Salarian councillor "But it was your concern when over twenty thousand of us died to keep your sorry arse alive. People like you, is what makes things like Cerberus and all their ideals worthwhile for the everyday human populace"

Garrus shook his head, the humans would never be seen as anything other than minnows, the Salarians and Turians, his own people, were not so eager to seed power to the Humans, unlike the Asari who were grateful for what had happened in the wake of the Reaper and Geth attack.

He looked at Miranda who ran her hand down the back of her head and didn't know what to say, she was seething that out of the so called Council, only one of the senior members wanted to listen.

"Perhaps I should come with you Commander" She said in a diplomatic tone "I can give the Councillor the information she requires."

Cassie arched an eyebrow and faced her second in command. "You have that to hand then Exo?"

"I have since you were...sleeping" Miranda allowed a rare but wry smile cross her face. Now the Commander would see her worth for what it was. Not what others said it would be.

"Councillor?" Cassandra faced the Asari "My Exo and I are on the way. If you would tell Councillor Anderson and my third officer Vakarian what it is you want us to do in the meantime, he will relay it to me on the Normandy"

She glanced at Anderson and with Miranda by her side she walked out, not sparring the other Turian or Salarian a look. She heard Garrus's raised voice and realised the man had more command power than he believed he had.

Cassie dug her hands in her jacket pockets and stopped Miri as they crossed the bridge towards the Asari Embassy. "Want to tell me what this is all about?"

Miranda shifted uncomfortably "I discovered that you were doing a side project for the Asari Councillor, regarding her colleagues and her suspicions"

"Your boss put you up to this?"

"NO" Miranda snapped then calmed herself "No Commander, it was a side project of my own. I had access to files of yours that not even the Illusive Man could get his hands on. Took me weeks to crack your encryption but when I did, I discovered what you were investigating for the Asari councillor."

Cassie nodded then rubbed her eyes "What did your investigation come up with Miranda?"

Miri watched people go by, then told her. Shepard listened and nodded, every time she had investigated him she had come up against a brick wall. Now, thanks to her Exo they had the start of something.

"Your opinion?"

"My opinion is the boffins of the Union are making a power play and by enlightening certain races that are not yet ready to be enlightened, they feel they will eventually have enough power to become a bigger player then the Asari and Turians."

"Is this across the Salarian Union?"

"No, but the Dalatrass's are complacent in it."

Shepard leant on the railing, Her mind working over what Miranda had told her "Then lets go see Teevos and see what she has to say on the matter. "She stood straighter "Well done but er, lets work together on this, on the QT no Cerberus or Alliance or Spectre, if the Salarian boffins are doing something outside their military sections knowledge and that means..trouble in paradise"

The Commander stood in the councillors office and let Miranda present the Asari with the evidence she had amassed. It was not everything that Teevos had required, but, it was a start, although, and perhaps quite rightly, she was a little suspicious of the senior Cerberus officers motives.

"And you did this out of curiosity? Not because it could give your organisation something to use?"

She hadn't known her very long, probably about a week or two before travelling to the Citadel which had taken another week, although it was obvious that Lawson was more informed on the Commander then the Commander was on her.

"Councillor. If my Exo said she did this as a personal project, then that is what she did. Miranda may not be forthcoming about a lot of things due to her organisations...protocols. She is however truthful."

The Asari councillor looked from Shepard to Lawson and back again. She heaved a sigh and took the OSD that Miranda gave her. "And this was from Commander Shepards initial investigation?"

Miranda nodded "The Commander had come up with the theories, but with no proof to back it up with it would have died in the initial stages of being brought into the open. The Salarians are very good at keeping their secrets, more so even then the Asari"

Cassie sat down in the chair by the window and was watching the exchange between the human woman and Asari, when Miranda mentioned about secrets she let her index finger sit over her mouth, covering her smile.

To give her credit the Asari didn't even bat an eyelid. She merely thanked the Exo and asked to speak to Shepard, alone. Miranda inclined her head and said she would meet the Commander at the human embassy. Cassie watched her Exo leave and fixed her expression in poker player mode before turning her attention to the Asari.

"Do you know what you are doing Cassandra?" She asked "Do you honestly believe this will achieve a resolution?"

Cassie got up, "Councillor, if the so called Council of which I sacrificed thousands of human lives to keep alive, still cannot help humanity because of their prejudices and convenient forgetting of what kept them alive, and the Alliance will not help because they are too busy to accept that there is a bigger threat other there...then I will do what I need to do"

"Then let me give you back your spectre rank"

"I don't want it. The council don't believe me, they never believed me about the Reapers, You're the only one who kept faith with me but there is not one reason in hell that I would take that back now"

Teevos sat forward and folded her hands in a temple like fashion "I believe you Shepard. My government may not, but I do. Unfortunately whilst I have tried to back Councillor Anderson up when he has pushed for this, your government as well as Turian and Salarian, and my own, have backslid on what we said.

I am not happy about it, but there is nothing I can do about it, all I can do is give you the blessings of the goddess that you find a way to end this and come home to us, soon"

Cassie cocked her head and smirked a little "I don't know about that Councillor, I am working with Cerberus a terrorist organisation, an avowed enemy of the council, I am going to face a court martial at the end of it"

"And if you manage to stop the collectors? Then It will be worth it, will it not?"

Cassie stepped back bowed her head and left the councillor to her work. She strode across to the Human Embassy where Garrus and Anderson were still arguing with the Turian and Salarian.

"Garrus, enough, we are going" She barked and looked at David "You can tell the Alliance to kiss my arse, if they are not going to stop the Collectors I am," She looked at the Turian and Salarian "and the next time your fucking arses need saving I am not going to sacrifice human lives for your selfish ones." She glanced at the seething Udina "and you go kiss their arses cause that's all you are good for" She motioned with her head and stopped in the doorway "One day you are gonna see I was right all along. Then we'll see whose fucking insane"

"Where too Cass?" Garrus asked, walking alongside Miranda.

"To get a Krogan, I cant get Wrex so lets look for one just like him...if that's even possible"


	9. Junkyard of the Suns

9.

Garrus and Zaeed heard the canned orders before Cassie got off the shuttle. Jacob and Kasumi joined them, Miranda and Mordan were on the ship. The Citadel meeting now far from her mind. She joined her best friend and the Mercenary with the other two.

"What is she doing?:" Jacob scowled

"Loving the sound of her own voice I'd say" Kasumi sighed.

"Canned orders? Who the fuck gives Canned orders?" Cassie shook her head "What a load of bollocks, OK by the numbers and...see if we cant find some way to shut her up, before she gives me even more of a headache then I already have"

Korius was one of the dumping grounds of the universe. Not just vehicles but derelict ships that had been grounded and left to die. She could see the appeal of a place like this. Good cover, and, if used correctly prepared kill zones dotted all around. "OK so," Cassie said once they had got into some cover "We are looking for a Krogan Warlord, name of O'Keer. He is somewhere in this, place"

"If we need a Krogan, we could have just gone to see Wrex" Garrus remarked "You just know he would come with you, you always found him good fights"

"Apparently He hasn't left his world in nearly two years" Jacob told him "We tried to get him on board but he never responded to our call"

"You're Cerberus, he isn't going to" Cassandra flatly retorted "Not even for me" She rubbed her jaw "OK by the numbers people, I want this done smooth and quietly, don't have to rush anything."

The gunshots ricochetted around her and she scowled, then rolled her eyes. She gave Garrus a look that he knew well and despite his injuries a wry smile crossed his face.

"I am guessing they do not want to surrender" He peered through his scope and fired "Scoped and dropped"

"Is that going to be your catchphrase now?" She groaned.

"Yeah I like it, I am the best sniper in this unit" He shot back.

"Needs some work Gar" she retorted "Kasumi...up front with Zaeed, Taylor shadow their left flank." She got her own sniper rifle, an Inderi, ready "Garrus and I will cover your rears"

"I'll cover Kasumi any time" Garrus muttered.

"I'm telling Tali" Cassie retorted.

"Huh? Why? What's Tali got to do with this?"

"I saw the way you used to check her out on the old Normandy you dirty minded Turian you" She grinned not missing the slight embarrassed flicker of his cheeks "Yeah you fancied her" she didn't give him a chance to reply as they were caught up in the act of covering their comrades.

When they moved to their next position their friendly bickering could be heard over the radio. There was a reason she was teasing her old friend, her best friend, she needed him to focus on what they were doing, something happened to him, something he wasn't telling her, and she worried about him.

Garrus always watched her back during the hunt for Saren, She would not let him down, no matter what. They cleared their way through the first section with relative ease, their combined skill sets overcoming a lot of obstacles in the way and Cassie was impressed with Kasumi's shadow skill. It saved her life on a couple of occasions...well if she could even die again, sometimes she thought she was in nothing but a dream and that this was all happening to someone else.

That she was seeing through their eyes and living their life, and it just so happened they shared her name. She had to take a couple of deep breaths to reassert her focus. She couldn't afford to have another thing distract her.

They came through a clearing to see the remaining Blue Sun squad member on the floor moaning that he was about to bleed out.

"Oh please" Kasumi sneered, "Its a scratch, he'll heal in a couple days"

"Yeah, still needs to medi-gel though" Jacob got his omni-too ready to administer it but Cassie stopped him.

"I want to talk to him first, and he doesn't know that he is going to be fine."

"What?" Jacob stared and went to do what he planned to do anyway, only to be stopped by Garrus.

"The last officer that went against her word? Ended up having her dive off the top of a walkway to save his sorry ass, before a nuke went off. He is wherever he is now but he was off the Normandy. Don't make the same mistake" The Turians voice held a friendly warning.

The memory in Garrus's mind replayed though, she had ordered them to go help Ash and the Salarians, while she had gone back for Alenko. Alenko had been left at the Citadel, where he was now, was anyone's guess. Taylor needed to learn that when the Commander said no, there was a good reason.

The Solider was muttering louder and louder, and shut up when he saw Shepard stand before him, she arched an eyebrow as he started again, "Not outfitted too fight fucking commandos"

She ran a cold gaze over him "I got a nice little application of medi-gel to go, but if you would rather bleed out all over the floor, well I can just keep walking" She showed her omni-too, then closed it off and went to walk away.

"Look" he stopped her "We were supposed to be hunting the Krogan, we are not trained to fight god-damned Commandos"

"and fighting Krogan are better?" Zaeed laughed cynically.

"How many Krogan are there and how the hell did your boss get them?" Cassie asked.

"I don't know, there's a Krogan scientist up in the restricted Lab, he's growing them or something, then sends them down here for us to train on"

"You mean murder" Kasumi hissed.

They heard the cackle over his radio, and then heard someone demand to know what was keeping the man they were talking to.

"They want to know their bearings, I haven't had a chance to give them it"

"So, give them their bearings" Shepard murmured in a tone of voice that made Garrus look up a little.

"What do you want me to tell them?"

"Anything you like, as long as it is away from here."

He looked at her then gave his squad leader a set of co-ordinates "They are gonna walk into a fucking trap, they're gonna get slaughtered"

"Better them then you" She arched an eyebrow. "Now how do we get to the labs?"

"Down there" he pointed "but you are going to have to fight through the Krogan, more viscous then a normal Krogan, and not very smart, but how smart are they anyway?" he uttered a laugh.

Shepherd put her gun in his face which shut him up fast "They are a lot fucking smarter than you. One of my best friends is a Krogan" she stepped back lowering her arm "Why dont you find a nice shady spot to sit in, before you bleed out"

She watched him leave and holstered her gun. "Nice" Zaeed grinned.

"Was scaring him like that, that necessary?" Jacob asked.

"Got me what I needed didn't it?" Shepard shot back and motioned with her head, "Lets go"


End file.
